THE Tony Houlihan League Memorial Challenge Cup took centre stage in The Houlihan’s Birkenhead Sunday Football League.

There were goals galore in most games. Match of the day took place at Upton Park with the hosts and new club to the league Upton Town (Tom Ward, Sam Parker, Lewis Hallum) dipping to local derby rivals Stirrup Sports & Social, who had to thank Chris Griffiths with a brace and further goals from James Beacall and Craig Murray making the score 4-3.

A solitary strike from Callum Whitby was enough for Woodchurch Rovers to beat AFC Shaftes 1-0.

Wirral FC (Aaron Griffiths, Matt Lydiate) kick-started their season with a giant killing act to sent out a strong signal to defeat Telegraph FC (Danny Price) 2-1 after extra time.

Victoria Colts (Gaz Dickinson, Dan Fletcher, Josh Ross, OG,) put their name in the hat for the second round registering a fine 4-1 success at AFC Tima (David Turner).

There was no giant killing act with Neston Nomads (Paul Ellison, Rob Cottrell, Jack Lloyd, Rob Marrs and Callum Blondel) seeing off the challenge of Barcode FC (Luke Male) 5-1, Lions FC (Ameel Al Gamri (2), Matty Kerr, Terry Ainsworth) also recorded the same scoreline at Paulos FC (Paul Johnston).

In-form Lancelyn Glenavon made progress after an eleven-goal thriller, with Tom Fenley and Gino King both bagging two goals each and a hat trick from Charlie Roberts inflicting a 7-4 result on CAD Athletic who replied through Alan Sutton, Ben Evans, Josh Hatton and Tommy Atherton.

They will be joined by Corsair FC (Brads Greer, Jason Bull, Leon Clarke and Paul Ryan) who disposed of MSC Eastham (Keith O'Toole and Laurence Whelan).

FC Tranmere (Kieran Cartwright (2), Callum Jones (2), Luke Holland, Adam Walker) eclipsed Rangers Breaks (Lee Burns) 6-1, who found themselves in the draw for the second round Premier Division basement club Rock Ferry Social who have 50 years of league membership under their belt finally broke their duck with a tremendous 5-2 win at Saughall (Owen Kelsey, Danny Whitehead).

On the mark for Rock Ferry Social were Adam Hughes, leading the way with a brace supported by efforts from Hayden Cooper, Joe Foster and the evergreen Andy Robinson.

A Kieran Hamm double was enough for Birch Tree FC to notch up their first point of the season to have a share of the points with Great Float Sports & Social who responded via Lee Hammond and Lawrence Harris in a 2-2 draw.

Queens Park (Craig Griffiths, Kevin Oates) followed suit with the same 2-2 scoreline sharing the points with Heygarth FC (Ki Hughes, Lloyd Ithell).

The third draw out of four games in the top flight division saw last season's Champions Dock FC (Ryan Nicoll 2, Perrie Black) share the points with current leaders FC Bidston (Vinny O'Toole (2), Corey Scasbrick) who dropped their first points of the season.

Only one game took place in Division One. Shaftesbury Youth took the honours with John Wellman with a fine double, supplemented by strikes from Karlin Fleckner and Sam Upton to defeat last season's Division two champions Ellesmere Port Athletic 4-1.

Next week will see the Cheshire Sunday Cup making inroads in to the league programme.